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Chapter 73 The Cornerstones of Bourgeois Pragmatism

Chapter 72 The cornerstone of bourgeois pragmatism: "Pragmatism"

A pragmatic approach is nothing special but an attitude that sets the course.This attitude is not to see
First things, principles, categories and assumptions are necessary, but to see last things, outcomes, effects and facts.

Truth is useful because it is true, or rather, it is true because it is useful.The meaning of these two sentences is one
Kind of.As far as our thoughts and beliefs are concerned, as long as there is nothing against them, they can be established, just as silver
Banknotes are issued, and as long as no one refuses to accept them, they can be circulated.These very philosophical words are American pragmatism
The founder James discussed in his important book "Pragmatism".

A Complete Book of "Pragmatism"

James (1842～1910) is the founder of American pragmatism. In May 1907, "Pragmatism" was published.

When James wrote the book "Pragmatism", it was the developed western capitalist countries represented by the United States that experienced the

An industrial revolution in the widespread use of electricity and motors.The industrial revolution greatly promoted the development of productive forces, and at the same time gave capitalist groups
The fundamental reason why pragmatism has become the most influential school in the modern West is that it is the most prominent
It expresses and concentrates the bourgeoisie's insatiable greed and self-interested class nature.pragmatism translated into English

Language is the meaning of behavior and action.The pragmatists' explanation of behavior and action fully implements the bourgeois egoism world.

The spirit of world outlook, that is, whether an action can bring some actual benefits and rewards to individuals or groups, regardless of whether this action

Whether it is in line with objective reality and in line with principles.That is to say, only care about direct effects and benefits, regardless of right or wrong.Useful is the truth

, useless is fallacy.Moreover, the theories of pragmatism have a scientific and democratic veneer, and they claim to oppose any blind conformity and

It is a scientific and neutral empiricism that respects facts, experience, and experimentation instead of superstition.in politics

In fact, most pragmatists pretend to be defenders of freedom and democracy, and do not approve of or even oppose explicit totalitarianism (including

including fascism).In this way, pragmatism can not only serve the interests of the monopoly capitalist class, but also become a kind of imperialism

Its philosophy is also easier to be accepted by the majority of petty and middle bourgeoisie and intellectuals in Western society.James is western pragmatism

A master of thought. The book "Pragmatism" is his main masterpiece.He divided many schools in the history of philosophy into empiricism
Righteousness and rationalism, the former is rigid in temperament, while the latter is flexible, the former emphasizes feeling and lacks religious belief

, holding a pluralistic and skeptical attitude; the latter is intellectualistic, religious, monistic, and dogmatic

Spend.According to James, both philosophies have shortcomings, empiricism is not religious

, Rationalism is dogmatic, abstract, unable to explain reality.James believes that his philosophy of "pragmatism" can be
to meet the requirements of both philosophies.

Criticize Traditional Thought and Advocate Pragmatism

The book "Pragmatism" consists of eight parts, namely "Current Philosophical Dilemma", "The Meaning of Pragmatism" and "Pragmatism".

Righteousness", "Considering Several Metaphysical Issues from Pragmatism", "One and Many", "Pragmatism and Common Sense", "

The Pragmatist Concept of Truth", "Pragmatism and Humanism", and "Pragmatism and Religion".

James clearly pointed out in "Pragmatism" that traditional metaphysical philosophy is almost "useless" and "abstract"
is a synonym, and the important reason why the philosophical circles are arguing about many philosophical issues is that "one" is at work, that is,

Philosophers all take the pursuit of "one", "absolute" and "spiritual totality" as their own responsibility, such as "Scholasticism on material entities

Concept, it is beyond the reach of people, it is behind the external world, it is deeper and more real than the external world. "

Therefore, the philosophical world has been "infringed by Hegelians and other philosophers who believe in the 'absolute'".from this standpoint
James regards all philosophers who oppose the categories of "absolute", "noumenon", "one", "substance" as pragmatic
A pioneer or fellow traveler of righteousness, "Berkeley's critique of 'matter' is absolutely pragmatic", "for spiritual entities this
The same pragmatic critique of this notion was given, first by Locke and then by Hume. In this sense, James agrees with
The empiricist critique of traditional metaphysics in the history of philosophy.In addition, James pointed out that traditional metaphysics makes people from
Emotionally disgusted too. "

In short, pragmatism differs from positivism in its disdain for all literal solutions, useless problems, and metaphysical abstractions.

Is consistent.

Pragmatism, James said, is first and foremost a method.Unlike many philosophers, he was hopeful about the future of philosophy.He said

, I believe in philosophy myself, and I believe that a new dawn has shone in the way of us philosophers. James believes that philosophy

Learning is useful, but its usefulness lies in the fact that it is a method.Specifically, the pragmatic approach, not what
The other result is nothing more than an attitude to determine the direction.

The so-called "direction-setting attitude" refers to how to take action.The pragmatic approach is the behavioral approach. "in principle",

"Category" refers to the theory of understanding the objective reality.Not looking at these means thinking that people's actions should not be based on objective facts
Realistic, do not have the guidance of theories, principles, etc.It can be seen that this is a method of subjective idealism.

However, James believes that under the guidance of the pragmatic method, all contradictions and oppositions can be eliminated.In other words, various

Theories, people with opposing positions and viewpoints can all find a common language under the pragmatic approach.from this standpoint
, people can make the battle of traditional metaphysicians into harmony, so he put forward a famous "corridor theory"

’, according to which “pragmatism is in our theories like a corridor in a hotel”, the many rooms

The doors are all connected to it.In one room you'll see a man writing an atheistic book; in the next room, another
A man is kneeling and praying for faith and strength; in the third room a chemist is investigating the properties of objects; in the fourth room
, someone is thinking about the system of idealist metaphysics; in the fifth room, someone is proving the impossibility of metaphysics,
But that corridor belonged to all of them, and if they were to find a workable passage into and out of each room, then
Just go through that corridor. "

The book points out that since pragmatism is a method and a tool, the final criterion as a method and a tool is

The value of ideas, and therefore truth is the "cash value" of ideas, and if you take a pragmatic approach, you don't put "

"God", "matter", "absolute", "energy" and other metaphysical concepts as the end of the pursuit. Therefore, "Practical

Doctrine" puts forward its own view of truth.

Truth, James said, is a process that has no inherent, static quality.In matters of truth, he argues, practical
Doctrine
Both scholars and traditional metaphysicians believe that truth is a property of some of our ideas, which means that the idea "corresponds" to reality.
"fit", while false means not in conformity with "reality". It is only to the extent that reality is what our ideas can conform to.
When it’s time to make sense, differences really arise.

James proposes that truth implies a valuable guidance that "foreshadows" or "signifies" more distant objects

Meaning.

The concept of truth is anticipatory, and grasping the truth itself is not an end in itself, and the truths that humans have filled their stomachs are useless

Here, the power of truth must be channeled to other important satisfactions if it is to exert its power.

Conversely, it is true that truth is not important at all times.

It can be said

, An effective and meaningful theory is the truth, and it is worthy of people's belief.On the other hand, as long as people believe it is true,
A doctrine is true as long as people believe it works for them.

The pioneering work inherits the past and ushers in the future

"Pragmatism" is the first book of American pragmatism.The outstanding contribution of this book is the application of Peirce's practical
The principle of righteousness is systematically developed, which is highly praised by the western academic circles: his pragmatism has been advocated by Peirce
before, and later revised by John Dewey, but he was unquestionably the central academic figure in the pragmatist movement

, is an admirable genius, a man who, as Russell said, has deep democratic feelings and blends with ordinary people
A man who aspires, without being a born aristocrat, who commands respect by his personal excellence. pragmatism is james
The final summary of scholars' pragmatic philosophical views.

"Pragmatism" shows its unique historical influence.Although opposing metaphysics is a common goal of pragmatist philosophers,

However, the specific methods used by various pragmatist philosophers are not completely consistent.In this work, James begins with the ethical
Criticism of metaphysics from the perspective of morality.He pointed out that the practice of traditional metaphysical philosophers is immoral, they

Can not but arouse people's resentment.This way of criticizing metaphysics is indeed a new attempt.well known james

Scholars are known for their popular expressions of the pragmatic view of truth, but, as we have seen in Pragmatism
We can see that James' view of truth is not as simple as people previously understood. In fact, James' view of truth also has its own

Starting point, philosophical regulations and theoretical expression, especially he opposed the static view of truth in traditional philosophy, and advocated active
, verifiable, and effective view of truth, which has a dialectical progressive significance, and it is also the theoretical feature of James' view of truth.

.In the book "Pragmatism", James emphasizes that pragmatism is not some arbitrary proposition and theory, but a method

and attitude.Because of this, "Pragmatism" reflects James' formulation and use of this method, which embodies the

in the style of pragmatist philosophy.James regards satisfying people's needs and desires as the standard of truth, and will deny any objective aspect of truth.
view content as something purely artificial and subjective.He declared that "truth is all produced into the world by man".this
denying the objective basis of truth and reducing it to the subjective idealism that is useful to people and can satisfy people's needs,

It necessarily blurs the lines between truth and falsehood, fact and lies, science and religion, etc., and reverses the relationship between them.

All in all, the book "Pragmatism" is a modern philosophy with voluntarism, anti-rationalism and humanism tendencies,
It is an idealist philosophy that has thoroughly transformed empiricism, and it is also a philosophy that expresses the American way of life.its generation, deep

Appreciation of the bourgeoisie.James' pragmatism philosophy has become the life philosophy of the bourgeoisie, and has penetrated into all aspects of society
surface.

(End of this chapter)